About Us

From Compiled Ordinances of 1910

In August, 1879, the original town site of the Town of Mitchell was platted, and in the spring of 1881, the Town of Mitchell was incorporated as a village. Village government prevailed until the year 1882, when the Legislature of the Territory of Dakota, which convened at Yankton, January 9th, of that year, passed a special law vacating and abolishing the Village of Mitchell.

This law which was the first charter of the City of Mitchell, designated the following tract of land as included within the corporate limits of the city, to wit: All of Sections 21 and 22, the South half of Sections of 16 and 15, and the North half of Sections 27 and 28, of Township 103, North of Range 60, West of the 5th P.M.

This charter was amended by the Legislature in 1885, at which time the boundaries of the city were changed so as to include only the following territory: Section 21, the West half and the Southeast quarter of Section 22, the South half of Section 16, the South half of the Southeast quarter and the Southwest quarter of Section 15, and the North half of Sections 27 and 28. Township 103, North, of Range 60, West of the 5th P.M.

On the 5th day of October, 1903, the city limits of the city were changed by resolution of the city council, whereby the entire West half of the Northeast quarter of section 22, Township 103, North of Range 60, was included within the corporate limits of the City, under the name of F.M. Green's Addition.

A further change was made on the 6th day of August, 1906, when the city council, by resolution added the East half of said Section 22, to the city under the name of Wilkinson's Addition and Martin Gleason's Addition.

In 1887, the Territorial Legislature enacted a general incorporation act for cities, and on April 2nd, 1889, the question of whether the City of Mitchell should become incorporated under this general act, which was known as Chapter 73, of the General Laws of the Territory of Dakota, for the year 1887, was submitted to a vote of the voters of the City of Mitchell.

This vote resulted as follows: For Incorporation under the general act, 277; Against such incorporation, 78, and from that time until the present, the City of Mitchell has existed under this incorporation.

The Mitchell Area Historical Society and the Mitchell Area Genealogical Society are both located in the former Carnegie Library building at 119 West Third Avenue, Mitchell, SD 57301 and the building is also the home of the Clyde and Mary Goin Corn Palace Collection and ever changing historical displays throughout the year.